


Birthday

by Causa



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 07:12:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4170756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Causa/pseuds/Causa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s been a year since Rose died. Exactly a year, today.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday

Steven was asleep in his crib with Amethyst nearby and the house was quiet. Pearl was fiddling with the blades in her room, and everything was calm until Garnet returned. 

“Amethyst, come with me. Pearl, I need you here to watch Steven.”

“Wh—no, I—”

“It won’t be long. Let’s go.” 

Pearl’s protest had hardly left her lips when the warp pad lit and the two gems disappeared. Anxiety came over her as she mounted the stairs to Steven’s room. The boy was in his crib, his tiny stomach slowly rising and falling, the faint sound of breath coming from his small lips— Rose’s lips, and her nose above them. After some time he let out a discordant cry that rang painfully in her ears; with shaking hands she lifted the infant and took him downstairs, where she gingerly placed him upright on their plush couch and retrieved a half-full bottle from the refrigerator. His wails rattled in her skull as she sat beside the child and placed the bottle down, awkwardly positioning him in her arms. His head settled into the crook of her arm and his cries ceased; he would not take the bottle but instead craned his head upward insistently, his dark eyes following hers wherever they went. She felt hot. His small fingers outstretched themselves toward her palm, and after several seconds of his straining she moved it closer to him; he seized her finger and laughed. It was small and light and high and reminded her of Rose. She pulled him closer to her. His breaths slowed and he lowered his eyes. They sat there quietly for some time until she was startled by the strident sound of the doorbell. She rose slowly, Steven still in her arms, and opened it; it was Greg.

“What are _you_ doing here?”

Steven had awoken and his large and full eyes flitted from Pearl to Greg. She placed her free hand on her hip. 

“I, uh, I'm here for Steven.” 

She narrowed her eyes. “Oh.”

Steven was cooing contentedly; he met Pearl’s eyes as she looked down at him before slowly handing him to the man, her eyes not leaving the infant. 

"You can come to his party if you want."

"No thank you."

When Steven was in Greg’s arms, Pearl began to close the door. 

“Wait!”

Pearl sighed. “Yes?” 

“I—I have this thing I need help with…Rose said you were good with fixing stuff.”

Pearl blushed. 

“I’m having some trouble with my computer—”

“I don’t know what that is.” 

“I really don’t either,” said Greg with a laugh. “But you can probably figure out what to do with it.”

“Uh—okay,” Pearl said, and she shut the door behind her. 

Greg had walked to the house—the van was out of gas and his friend couldn’t help him push it to the station until some day—Pearl was not giving him her full attention. She looked instead to Steven, who was nuzzled into the man’s shoulder, his dark eyes alert but content. 

“It’s been a year since Rose died. Exactly a year, today.” 

Pearl felt her chest sink, but her eyes remained focused on the town ahead of them. 

“Is that a long time to humans?” 

“Not really, no,” said Greg slowly. “Is it—is it a long time for you?” 

“No,” Pearl said with a laugh. “It feels like no time at all. I keep expecting Rose to warp in, but then I see Steven and I remember.” 

“You—“ Greg started quietly “—you don’t…hate Steven, do you?”

“Of course not,” she said, brow furrowed. “But I do wish he didn’t exist.”

Steven had fallen asleep. 

“What?!” Greg stopped, his voice raised. “What do you mean?"

Pearl cocked her head and kept walking. “I don’t know how else to say it.”

“You don’t hate him but you wish he didn’t exist.” He resumed walking. “E—elaborate?” 

“I would much rather have Rose around,” said Pearl, growing quiet. “But that wasn’t up to me.” 

“No, it wasn’t,” said Greg. 

Pearl looked to Steven, whose small lips were pursed. 

“Honestly—I think I feel the same,” Greg said softly. “I love Steven, but—I told her not to do it.” 

“I don’t believe that,” said Pearl, crossing her arms. “You seemed happy.”

Greg sighed. “I—I tried to be supportive once it was happening.”

Pearl looked to the grassy ground, her hands clasped.

“She wanted Steven so badly," said Greg. "I would’ve, if she could still be here, but…I didn’t. I really didn’t.” 

“She said I couldn’t understand.”

“ _I_ don’t understand.”

“Of course _you_ don’t,” Pearl spat. 

Greg made a small, low noise, slowed his pace, and said, “Do you hate me?”

“Why do you care what I think of you?” 

"I don't know," said Greg. "Why did you care what Rose thought of you?" 

"Because she was everything to me," said Pearl instantly, her eyes locked onto his. "How is that relevant?"

"I—I don't know," Greg said after a long silence. 

"Of course I do," Pearl said, her voice flat. "If I could understand what it was about you that took her away from me…but the only answer I have is Steven." 

Greg shrugged. "The cynical part of me says you could be right." He sighed. "But the part of me that fell in love with Rose says—"

"I don't care what it says," said Pearl. "I'm only talking to you because of Steven." She bristled. "And Amethyst and Garnet." 

"Those two don't hate me, do they?" 

Pearl looked at him. "No." 

"So you have to pick up their slack, huh?" 

Pearl did not respond and instead was looking at Steven intensely; his eyes, large and startled, looked back. 

"It's not appropriate to talk like this in front of Steven," she said finally, evenly. 

To her surprise, Greg burst into laughter. 

"What?"

"He doesn't understand what we're saying!" 

Pearl at first looked quizzical, then crossed her arms. "Good. I hope he never does."


End file.
